


Day 099

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [99]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [99]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 099

Anders fell easily into formation with the others. Hawke took up the lead, as he always did, with Aveline and Verric taking up positions to the back at either side. Anders took up his usual position at the rear, completing the diamond formation. The longer they lived in Kirkwall, the more open he and Hawke became about being mages, and now, they carried their staffs undisguised in broad daylight.

Growing up in the circle, this would have been unthinkable, to be free and not have to hide. The constant fear was still there, the templars might just decide to arrest him on a whim. A few templars had tried, although there had never been a concerted effort by the order at large. It was only a matter of time, however. Before that happened, Anders would help as many mages as possible to escape. The mage underground was a slow process and at least half their escue attempts failed.

Anders saw the suspicious looks he got from those they passed in the streets. His proximity to Hawke was all that kept him safe from the mob. For the moment, the people remembered that mages had stood for them against the Qunari but the memory of gratitude was short, and the memory of hate was long. The Magesters had breached the Black City, or so the Chantry claimed, over a thousand years ago and still they were hated.

They will turn on you. You must strike first.

They are innocent, they believe only what they have been taught.

Yes we have seen this ‘Chantry’ it preaches hatred and stokes the fires of injustice. It drove the Qunari to action fore they saw the injustice of the city. They took action where you will not. 

They also leash their mages with more brutality than the templars.

Yet they were not content to sit idly by and allow the injustice they saw to continue. They were not content to save one life at a time. Their failure was tactical not morral. We should strive to be more like them. 

You’re going to get us killed.

Death is preferable to submission. If you were not prepared to die for freedom, for justice, you should have stayed in the circle.

If I had, I probably would have died when the circle fell.

You see it now. For mortals, all roads lead to death. You can only choose what you accomplish with what life you have. We have learned this.

“Hey Blondie.” Varric’s voice snapped Anders out of his thoughts. “Are you feeling OK?”

“Fine,” he lied. He could feel the rage burning in his soul. He knew that nothing short of the destruction of the circles would satisfy Justice. The spirit saw only purpose, the man saw what that purpose would cost.

“So two templars were on patrol at night,” Varric said.

“I imagine they patrol every night,” Aveline replied.

“Oh hush,” Varric said. “So these two templars were out on patrol in the gallows and one turns to the other and says ‘what do you think if farther, Starkhaven or the Moon?’ and the other one says ‘what a ridiculous question! You can’t even see Starkhaven from here.’”

Anders laughed despite himself. Aveline gave an approving snort and Hawke let out a single barking laugh. Anders relaxed a bit and for a few moments, Justice was silenced.


End file.
